WEBVTT
DAY AND JOINS US LIVE.
>> Reporter: AT LEAST FOUR
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
OUTSIDE OF WAHOO IN TO ASSIST,
INCLUDING MEAD, DAVID CITY AND
CEDAR BLUFFS, AND THEY'VE PUT UP
BARRIERS AROUND THE BUILDING, A
COUPLE WAHOO ENGINES ARE STILL
HERE AND A FIREFIGHTER ON TOP OF
THAT LADDER IS CHECKING FOR HOT
SPOTS.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BANK
WORKERS, HEARTBROKEN AT THE
DESTRUCTION OF A DOWNTOWN
LANDMARK.
>> THE WAHOO STATE BANK HAS BEEN
AROUND SINCE THE 1930s.
FRIDAY MORNING THE HISTORIC
BUILDING WAS COVERED WITH FLAMES
AND THICK SMOKE.
>> IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE
SMOKE TO EVEN JUST COME DOWN AND
FILL THE WHOLE LOBBY.
>> EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
CINDY HOHL SAYS AN I.T. WORKER
SMELLED THE SMOKE.
A CONTRACT TEAR WAS INSTALLING
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND MAKING
REPAIRS.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS
BURNING.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN BURNING ALL
NIGHT.
>> THE FIRE STRIKING HER TO THE
CORE, WATCHING HER FAMILY'S
LEGACY BURN.
>> IT'S SO HARD.
VERY HARD.
>> FIRE CREWS SAYING THE
BUILDING'S THREE ROOFS AND A
LAYER OF RUBBERMAID THE FIRE
FIGHT TOUGH, EVEN WITH THREE
HOSES.
>> THE RUBBER ON TOP OF THERE
WOULDN'T LET THE WATER GET DOWN
INTO THE SEAT OF THE FIRE.
>> THE WAHOO COMMUNITY DOING
MUCH MORE THAN STANDING AND
WATCHING.
MANY PEOPLE BRINGING HOT COFFEE,
GATORADE AND SNACKS TO THE
FIREFIGHTERS.
THERESA BARTEK AND HER COWORKERS
WHIPPING TOGETHER MORE THAN 100
SANDWICHES.
>> WE JUST DID SOMETHING THAT WE
COULD TO HELP.
BARTEK, IT'S TIMES LIKE THESE
WHEN THE TOWN SHOWS ITS TRUE
COLORS.
>> IT'S A SMALL COMMUNITY, AND
IT'S LAR WITH HEART.
>> THE FIRE MARSHAL IS STILL
INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THIS
BLAZE.
I'M TOLD MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS
CONTAINED TO THE BANK BEING BUT
SOME SURROUNDING BUSINESSES
SUSTAINED WATER DAMAGE.
EVERYBODY ON THE BLOCK WAS
EVACUATING.
FIRE MARSHAL -- FIRE OFFICIALS
SAY CREWS WILL BE OUT HERE AS
LONG AS IT TAKES, MONITORING
THOSE HOT SPOTS.
REPORTING LIVE IN WAHOO, CAMILA
ORTI, NEWSWATCH 7.
>> WAHOO STATE BANK POSTING ON
THEIR WEBSITE, APOLOGIZING FOR
ANY INCONVENIENCE, SAYING ALL
DEPOSITS AND RECORDS ARE SECURE.
THEY ALSO REPORT THAT THE
DRIVE-UP LOCATION WILL BE OPEN
FOR BUSINESS, BUT THE INTERNET
BANKING IS UNAVAILABLE, AS WELL

UPDATE: Wahoo Fire Chief Mark Meyer has confirmed the cause of the fire was a halogen lamp on the roof of the building the wind blew over.

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Officials said a fire at the Wahoo State Bank is under control after emergency crews worked through the morning and early afternoon.

The fire started around 9 a.m. and was officially under control by about 1:30 p.m., but crews continue to monitor hot spots in the building.

Chief Mark Meyer of the Wahoo Fire Department said the fire emitted large amounts of smoke because of the rubber membrane covering on the roof.

Hear Chief Mark Meyer's full interview:

Meyer said precautions were taken to keep the fire contained to the one building but there were reports of water running into other buildings.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire.

Bank employees told KETV NewsWatch 7 that contractors were installing Christmas lights and making repairs in the roof area. A staff member smelled smoke Friday morning, and alerted the rest of the building.

"It didn't take long for the smoke to come down and fill up the whole lobby," Executive Vice President of the bank, Cindy Hohl, said.

Hohl says she has worked inside the historic building for 40 years, and said it was heartbreaking to watch it burn.

"We'll recover, we'll get by," Hohl said between tears.

Fire officials said the building's three roofs, a layer of rubber and strong winds made for a difficult fire fight.

"It's very frustrating because if we could have gotten into the fire and to the fire, we probably could have saved a bit more of the building itself," Meyer said.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, about 50 firefighters from Mead, Cedar Bluffs, David City, Yutan and Wahoo were present. Three aerial trucks were utilized to pour water from above.

"We got great people. The stores, the people have stepped up. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army is here," Meyer said. "The outpouring has been great from the community today."

Many community members provided hot coffee and food to the fire crews. Theresa Bartek and her co-workers from the local pharmacy whipped up more than 100 sandwiches.

"It's a small community but it's large with heart," Bartek said.

Employees at the bank say the drive-up service remains open, according to a Facebook post.

Internet banking and ATMs are also unavailable, employees say.

No injuries have been reported.

Employees at the WigWam Cafe, located near the Wahoo State Bank, say they are closed due to the fire.